The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-01-26
DEATH OF MRS. VOORHEES,.
Surrounded by Her Bereaved Family, She
Quietly Passes Away.
Special to the Sentinel.

Special TO the Sentinel.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21.-Your correspond
ent telegraphed last night the alarming
change IN Mrs. Voorhees,. Tonight the home
of Senator Voorhees, is shrouded in the deep
est gloom. The spirit of Mrs. VOORHEES,
winged its fight to eternity at 4 p. m. The
news was an utter surprise and dreadful
shock here. The illness Of the deceased
lady had not even been announced here in
the public prints. Up to last Monday morn
ing Mrs. VOORHEES, was supposed 10 be IN her
usual health. She attended st. Johns
Episcopal Church Sunday, and took break
fast the following morning with the family.
At 10 o'clock that day she complained of
being i'll, and grew worse until Wednesday
night, when Senator VOORHEES, telegraphed
to his son, DR.. Reese Voorhees,, to come on
from New York at once. Yesterday morn
and Senator VOORHEES, felt justified in
attending the Senate. He met your
correspondent at $50 in the evening, when
he stated that his wife was better, but upon
arriving at home was surprised to learn that
a turn for the worse had occurred at
o'clock. From that time the disease de6ed
the combined skill of Drs. Sauer, Mccall,
Voorhees, and Barton-the latter gentleman
being called in only yesterday. The stricken
patient grew rapidly worse until a. m,
when the collapse came, and at o'clock p.
no. the awful burden of bitter woe came on
the Senator and his children.
Tonight your correspondent visited the
home where the Egyptian messenger had but
few hours previous claimed his victim. A
long, heavy Grape hung from the door-bell,
and Colonel Bright had just called to extend
his condoleEce and help. A number of init
mate lady friends were gathered in the
back parlor attempting to see the afflicted
daughter, Miss Halle whose smothered sobs
broke through the closed poItiere, striking
the few intimate guests in the front parlor
with inexpressible sadness. 1t was in this
parlOr that your correspondents described the
happy family circle of the Senator a few
weeks ago in the Sentinel, when Mrs. VOor-
hees appeared so healthy, with her ever hos
pitable manner and bright smiles. 1t was
here two weeks ego Mrs. VOORHEES, joined
select dinner party, and among the guests
was General HaZen, who answered the last
roll-call last Sunday night. Such sudden,
such lamentable and deplorable contrasts
impressed every sympathetic caller with the
profoundest feelings OF sorrow, and again
made prominent the fact of frequent sudden
deaths, of plunges from the glorious height
of sunshine to the dark abyss of despair.
Senator VOORHEES, was not to be seen. His
soD, DR.. Voorhees,, says that neither his
father nor any of them can yet fully .ealize
their irreparable calamity. The Senator
sent word 20 your correspondent that the
mains of his wife would be taken to Terre
Haute. Arrangements will be-completed to-
morrow. The remains will probably leave
here at $50 Sunday, arriving at indianapolis
at noon Monday. Many kilograms of condo
lence were received tonight. The family
was unable to give any particulars Colonel
Mclean being present, your correspondent
asked him to describe Mrs. Voorhees, traits
of character. He said: 'She was eminently
lady Of very fine social qualities, one who
never presumed en- her own or her husbands
position; of a most retiring disposition.
A more devoted mother could not
be found. Her attachment to her husband
in bis varied career has been subject of
comment She was kind and generous and
spent much of her time in calling on the
poor, to whom her purse and heart were
always open. No lady in Washington was
more widely known in official life, none
more highly esteemed. Although shrinking
from ostentatious display, her home was
always the abode of generous hospitality.
The deceased was daughter of Reese Hard
esty. She was born in Greencastle, Ind, in
1892. She leaves four children, Charles W.,
James H., DIR. Reese and Miss Hallie-all
grown"
The diagnosis was acute peritonitisNin-
fiammation Of the stomach and bowels.